Water cooler



J H. LAKIN WATER COOLER Feb. 12., 1929.v 1,701,977

Filed Feb'. 25, 1927 v 3 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 12, 1929. Y f 1,701,911

J. H. LAKIN WATER COOLER I Filed Feb. 25, 1927 3 Sheets-Shet 2 Feb. 12, 1929.

" J H. LAKIN WATER COOLER FiledFeb. 25, 1927 3 She-2e'ils-Sheetf 3 Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

NnireN einer orricfs." y

J HARRY LAKIN, OF PTTSBUR-GEI, PENNSYLVANEA, ASSEGNO?. T LAKN MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, INC., 0F PTTSBUFRGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATN OF DELAWARE,

WATER COLER.

Application led February 25, N27. Serial No. 176,801.

My invention relates to improvements in appznfat-us for ifo-cooling water, by exposure to and interniingling contact with the atfmosphere. The cooling apparatus is particulally designed tor use in connection with condensers ot reirigerating plants, or for similar purposes, whereby the condensing water surroundinga heat 'absorbing coil within an enclosing tanl; may be quickly and ctl'ectively rccooled for continuous reuse..

In condensing1 apparatus oit this class, large amounts et water are ordii'larily used with more or less waste and resulting` expense. One oi the objects of the present invention is to avoid such waste by the continuous circulation and re-use ot a main body of water, subjected to atmospheric cooling action, with meanstor collection, ior circulation, and return to the uppermost pou tion of a distributing header, and subse quent cooling by the means herein provided. Such means, which comprise the subject matter ot the present invention, have for their purpose lio ei'lect frequent spraying` and exposure to the atuuisphere through and by means ot a series ot' separated collecting` spray pans, with intervening clearance iior ample air circulation and contact, so con-` struct-ed and arranged to prevent the wastetul` action oit cross currents of air.

The invention also involves various detail 'features otl construction and operation as ,shall be more fully h xreinaiiter descril'ied.

in Vthe awoinpanyilig drawings, showing one preferred embodiment otthe invention:

Fig'. l is a somewhat diagrammatic view, y

showing thc circulating systeinin connection 'with a condenser; t

fligr. 2 is a View in elevation, partly 'in section, of a 'water distributing,` and cooling tower embodying the invention; y

Fig. 3 is a plan view of its upper end;

Fig. 4L- is a cross section on the line lV-llV of Fig'. 2; I Y

Fig'. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a niodiied construction;

Fig'. (l is a plan view ot the upper water distributing troughs;

Fig. is a cross-section on the line Vil-Ill of 5; i

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on Vthe line VlIlL-Vll oit Fig. 7.

In the drawings, 2 is the skeleton supporting framework for the apparatus preferably constructed et structuralsteel members, as angles, and having a supporting` base 23 mounted upon any suitable supporting),` liuudation. the corner angle members extend upwrirflly throughout the wholelength ofthe tower as shown, end are connected at the lop with similar corner members 4l laid over :nd suitably connected by rivets or bolts in the usual manner of such construct-ion.

.in the lower orbase portion oi' the tower is a tank or basin 5, adapted to contain a body of water at or about the norma-l level (a, a. lliaier is initially supplied thereto for such purpose, and also ilor supplementing any exhaust. loss thereof by means of a supply pipe G connected with a pressurev main, opening into the interior through a 'floatcontrolled valve 7 whereby to replenish the supply-below the normal line a, a', and to shut it oli" when such level reached.

Tank 5 is for holding' and collectingV the coolingv water for supply to` the condenser tafel; 8 through which pas' the circulziting comlensing coil 9 of any'-re'lrigerating sys- `such coil in thc-)well known manner for cong lensing anhydroiis-ammonia content therein n in 1gaseous :form` iii/vater for such cooling purpose is taken directly from the lower portion ot tank through a suitable screen l() by suction pipe ll leailiro' tov a pump l2, operated by motor M, which supplies such water to one end ot the tank 8 by pipe 123.

Under pressure ot the pump within closed tant; S` a corresponding amount ot water is returned by pipo lll to the lower end ot' stand pipe l5, by which it is carried to the top ot the Vtower for distributionto the upper `end ot the spray pan system. At such upperend pipe l5, is branched, by

laterally extending pipes 16, connected with Immediately below the said spray pipes,

is the" uppermost spray pan ot a vertical series, all ot which are ofthe saine construction and made ot cornpailatively light sheet metal.

Vthe stand pipe l5 by asuitable fittingl?? Each' snch spray pan is of rectangular shape, asin Figq, andan interitting connectionwith the corner angle' posts 2 to Y vertically throng Mt the series around Vthe 1 water retaining which the upper edges 2l of each pan are l secured #by "rivetsffor bolts. I Such Vupper edge is comparatively shallow, extending vertically around the four sides ofthe pan, and merges into lthe inwardly sloping bottom 22. i

Such bottoniextends inwardly andL downs` wardly at an angle offapproniinately 45, and is then turned ,upwardlyV and inwardly for sliort distance, vproviding the inner ,Y ledge 23, the inner'edges ol` vhich form the'inner boundaiy line 'ot 'each pan, and are in `register with eachother interior .rectangular ,hollow space.

vest the angleV oint between the converginy f D y t; walls 22 and 23," and forming the bottom 'center of a continuous'trougnso formed, l Yprovide'a series of closely' adjacentl coinparatively small perforations 245, in rows .and also in approximateregistering rela- .tionY vertically `throughout the series. VThe 4 distributing `ports 20V of pipes V19 are pret- Aerably arranged about` midway of the` main outer sloping Walls 22, so that `the water de n livered thereby will fall upon such walls andV inwardly thereover to the outlet ports.

For thepurpose ofsupporting the pipe terminals` 19,vv and of accurately adjusting fthem Lto proper level for equal distribution l pipe and extending upwardly through fthe. top flange of the corner` angle framing-fand of Water,V leach of: said pipes isV connected vith the top rim portion lby a pair o'f-sup-` porting hooks 25, vengaging underneath 'the having a terminal nut'2'6 as shovv'n. By such arrangement the upper portion vofthe distribution header, which is other- Vwise Vfree to move" laterally, may be accu-V Vrately tilted and adjusted toria limited extent by properly tightening or looseningthe v.'several bolts forming Vthe hooks. Y The construction .and operation ofthe 1n.- ventlon will be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description.`

y Upon water being pumped from the' tank through the condenser chamber 8, and"A returned to stand pipe l5 at its Vhigher temperature, dueto absorption of' heat romthe v'fcoi'l,l ,such warm" water will bev evenly disthe uppermost pan. Y e Y Even it iot'thus equallyA distributed, the

tributed'from the perforated headers l'9to water will automatically ndafcominon level in theV continuous Aannular gutter Jiormed bey tweenA thev outer and inner4 converging Walls,

and 'will' be. discharged downwardly there-4V from. vby gravityV through the VContinous series of sinallfportsV 24. In lilefmannerthe next vadflitional pan,and successively those throughout the series clear` to Vthe bottom,

' will receive the Water trom the next upper,-

The

most pan, and will deliver it downwardly to the-next lower'one, until finally the water-is discharged tank. s

f By reason of 4.the spraying space between in the forlnof'a spray to the v"each'pair Yof, pans, andbecause of the con-` tinuous central open` space 'from top to bot-VV tom, there is ample provision for the c1rculation of atmospheric currents, either upwarr ly,` downwardly, or transversely, and 'lor re-V sulting intimate vContact with theV numerous sprays. t f

result ofgsuch action Vis to eilectually reduce the :temperature ot the water, as is generally understood and pmcticcd r vices of the saine general lq' outer walls 22 oli the pains, th 1r interior is completely protected n Yundueorfen- Y ue to the slopingr arrangement oi Itho Ycessive air pressure from lateral currents, so

that waste of "water thereby isf entirely avoided,'supplemented by theupwardly eX- -tending 'verticaliedgesl l The arrangementA also acilitates'thorough contact with the spraysby incoming cur-V rents of air, which are deiected downwardly :bytheouter Vsurfaces of the walls 22, therehy ensuring such intimate Contact.V `Similar "protection is eilectedfby the shorterl inner v Y sloping walls 2 3.

ln'ligs. `5 to 8linclusive,V li have shown *a inodi'hed arrangement and construction in VV:which the series oi" spraylpansf22lare.ar-

ranged 1n avert-ical series aroundthecentral Y stand pipe `l5? for'establishingasprayingf,l00

Vcurrent Vin the saine general manner.

In such construction Vthe central'pipe'l delivers the water at the upper end through aqterminal li ting'lfaand lateral pipes 16 into cppositely Varrzn v top troughs- 19a.Y y notches' or grooves 20a'through their Vupper ed 'semi-circular lopen outer and 'inner` through which the wall 22?L and the inner reversely sloping `wall 23a.- "Each such pan is' mounted onthecen `Y tral pipe 15aV by a spanner El, the hub of each Spanner resting on ythe hub of the next lower Spanner, whereby to support the Vseriesfcon-V tinuously throughout,

series, are of the Thzegse arelprovide'd with The circulation of the water downwardly o through such series opans, with the inter vening air, circulationspaces for transverseV l current and the continuous middle space withinithe innerfsloping walls 23a', is.V genyThe numbensize" relative arrange-` erally similar' andv withV the same resultand Veffect as already described,

ment of the several. pans may, ot course, be changed or varied by the skilled mechanic, and the invention may be otherwise altered to detail construction, but all such changes are to be understood as wit-hin the scope ot the following` claims.

TWhat I claim is:

1.In water cooling mechanism of the class described, the combination with a central stand pipe having laterally disposed water distributing headers at its upper end, of a vertical series of spaced superposed spray pans each having a main outer inwardly inclined wall with a V-shaped terminal provided with water circulation spray ports through its bottom, whereby the uppermost ot sai d pans receives water 'from the distriluiting` headers of the stand pipe and the water delivered successively through said perforations with alternating air exposure and finally outwardly through the perforations of the bottom pan.

2. ln water spray mechanism, a vertical series of water spray pans each having a main inwardly and downwardly sloping continuous side wall with a reversely upturned wall providingl an annular channel or gutter and having` pertorations tl'irough the bottom thereof, means for supporting said pans in spaced relation with the outer edge of each lower `pan extending upwardly beyond t-he delivery perforations of the adjacent gutter, and means tor distributing water to the uppermost of said pans.

In water spray mechanism, a vertical series of water spray pans each having a main inwardly and downwardlyV sloping continuous side wall with a reversely upturned wall providing an annular channel or gutter and having pertorations through the bottom thereof, means for supporting said pans in spaced relation with the outer edge of each lower pan extending upwardly beyond the delivery pertorations ot the adto the uppermost of said pans, and a lower collecting reservoir provided with means effecting circulation from the reservoirV through a utilizing' device and back to the uppermost water distributing mechanism.

4c. ln water spraying apparatus, a series of uniform water spray pans having main outermost inwardly and downwardly sloping side walls turned inwardly and upwardly at their bottoms providing a comparatively narrow reversed wall and orm ing a gutter or channel and having therethrough water circulating spray openings with intervening tf-shaped transverse terminal air circulation spaces, a skeleton framework connected with and supporting said pans in spa ,ed relationship, means for supplying` water to the uppermost of said pans, and means for collect-ing' water delivered through the ports oit the lowermost of said pans.

5. The combination with a receiving spray pan having an annular' series of transverse spray perorations and a supporting framework therefor, of a centrally arranged stand pipe having laterally disposed discharge headers for delivery into the uppermost spray pan, and supporting' devices for said headers connecting them with Vthe framework. i

6. The combination with a receiving spray pan Ahaving an annular series of transverse spray perforations and a supporting framework therefor, of a centrally arranged stand pipe having' laterally disposed discharge headers for deliveryinto the uppermost spray pan, and supporting devices for said headers connecting them with the framework and provided with means for effecting vertical adjustment of the headers.

ln testimony whereof l hereunto atiix my signature. i

` J HRR Y LAKIN. 

